PRC official caught extorting money

Corruption and direct bribery charges were filed Thursday in the Department of Justice (DOJ) against an official of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) after he was caught red-handed receiving money from a building owner.

Commissioner Alfredo Po was arrested on Wednesday by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents during an entrapment operation right inside his office at the PRC building in Manila.

Found on top of his table was the money he had demanded as his “broker’s commission” from Ernesto de los Santos, owner of the CTLL building in Baguio City, which had been leased to the commission to serve as one of its satellite offices.

NBI spokesman Cecilio Zamora said they filed three charges against Po—violation of Rep. Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices, violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees and violation of Article 210, paragraph 2 of the Revised Penal Code or direct bribery.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters that it was only proper that Po be charged because “this government has no place for such people.”

“Scalawags like him should have no place in this administration,” she said. She added that she had immediately informed President Aquino about Po’s case and he had expressed appreciation for the work of the NBI.

According to De Lima, a number of people have complained about Po whom she noted had been linked to board exam leakages.

“In other words, we are probably looking at a notorious guy who’s now a PRC commissioner,” she said, adding that Po was the former chairman of the Philippine Board of Mechanical Engineers.

In the NBI complaint, De los Santos said that he met Po last October when the official visited his building in Baguio City.

He added that he was informed last month that the contract of lease had been signed by PRC so he went to the commission’s office in Manila to pick up a copy. During that time, he met Po who told him that the PRC would issue checks for the rent payments.

Last month, De los Santos said he went back to PRC after he learned that the checks for three months’ worth of rent had already been signed. But instead of getting the checks from the cashier’s department, he was told to go to Po’s office where the official demanded a monthly commission of P42,800 as he was the one responsible for having the lease contract signed by the PRC.

“For fear of reprisal,” De los Santos said he gave P84,000 to Po on Nov. 24 (his commission for two months) but the latter demanded P394,000 more as his “broker’s commission.”

Speaking to reporters, De los Santos expressed disgust over Po’s demand that he drop off the money at his office in the PRC building.

“He demeaned the position, he has no respect for his own office,” he said.

Raoul Manguerra, head of the NBI-Counter Terrorism Division, said Po did not resist when he was arrested by the bureau’s agents.

The PRC official is now detained at the NBI.

Manguerra said the complainant managed to film with the use of a hidden camera his conversation with Po in which they talked about their “transactions.”

He added that the footage would be used as part of the evidence against the PRC official.

De los Santos said in his complaint to the NBI that Po had demanded a commission because it was through his efforts that the lease of contract was signed and approved.

He added that when he refused, Po said he would make it difficult for the building owner to get the rent payments.

De los Santos said he decided to report Po to the authorities after the PRC official called him repeatedly to demand his commission, otherwise, he would cancel the lease contract.